Sunrise over Sapphire Bay by Martin Holly

Author:Martin, Holly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-23T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Aria had spent a while emailing everyone who had ever stayed at the hotel in the hope they might want to come and snap up a bargain weekend for the festival of light. None of the regulars had replied so far, so she was casting the net wider. She heard laughing outside her office and, needing a break, she wandered outside to see what was going on. There was Angel chatting away to Clover, or rather flirting with her, and Clover was laughing loudly. Aria doubted anything would happen between them – Clover guarded her heart too fiercely for that – but it was nice to see her happy and relaxed with a lovely man, regardless of how far it did or didn’t go.

Noah arrived back in reception with Dr Howell. Angel cleared his throat and stopped leaning over the reception desk and Clover moved to the other side of the desk and started doing something on the computer as if Noah was the boss and he’d just caught them messing around – although in many ways he was.

‘I must say, this hotel is lovely,’ Angel said loudly and deliberately, probably for Dr Howell’s benefit. ‘Although what’s with the donkey in the swimming pool?’

Noah paused as he walked past the desk. ‘Donkey?’

Behind Noah and Dr Howell, Clover started signalling frantically to Angel, waving her hands and doing a slitting motion across her throat. Angel’s smile fell off his face as he realised he’d revealed something he shouldn’t.

‘Yeah, there’s a, umm… mosaic-type picture of a donkey near the pool, I wondered what the significance of it was,’ Angel said, quickly.

‘Ah right,’ Noah said. ‘Well we’re heading down that way ourselves in a minute, we’ll have to have a look for it.’

‘You’re going to the swimming pool?’ Clover said in alarm.

‘Yes of course, why?’ Noah said.

‘Well, it’s empty right now,’ Aria said. ‘It probably doesn’t look its best.’

‘That’s OK, we just want to give Dr Howell a feel for the place,’ Noah said.

Dr Howell looked like he’d already got a feel for the place and he wasn’t impressed.

They started heading off towards the lift that would take them downstairs.

Crap. Aria glanced at Clover, who was looking panicked. She had to do something.

‘Why don’t you take Dr Howell through the gardens and round the back,’ Aria called after them. ‘That way he can see all the spring flowers and the amazing views.’

‘Good idea,’ Noah said and gestured for Dr Howell to follow him out of the entrance.

As soon as they had gone Aria turned to Clover. ‘Go and get Sparkle out of the pool room, quick.’

‘Where shall I put her?’ Clover said.

‘I don’t care, just anywhere she won’t be found,’ Aria said. ‘I’ll man the reception. Angel, you can go and help her.’

‘I take it Noah doesn’t know about the donkey?’ Angel said.

‘No he doesn’t, but since you decided to tell him, you’ve just signed yourself up to the relocation team. Now go.’

Angel and Clover took off at a run, heading into the lift that went downstairs.

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